FB bans white nationalism on its platforms

Facebook says it will ban all white supremacy and white nationalism content from its platforms.Image: AAP

Facebook has banned praise, support and representation of white nationalism and white separatism on its social media platforms, bolstering its efforts to tackle hate speech.

The policy will be enforced next week, the social media giant said in a blog on Wednesday.

The spotlight has turned on white supremacy and nationalism after Australian Brenton Tarrant shot dead 50 Muslims at Friday prayers in two Christchurch mosques.

Facebook, Twitter and Alphabet's YouTube are under pressure to remove white supremacist and neo-Nazi content from their platforms.

In response, Facebook has beefed up its content monitoring teams and has taken down event pages that were used to promote and organise rallies by white supremacy groups.

The company previously allowed some white nationalist content it did not view as racist, but recently decided to change course.

"Over the past three months our conversations with members of civil society and academics who are experts in race relations around the world have confirmed that white nationalism and separatism cannot be meaningfully separated from white supremacy and organised hate groups," the company said.

"Going forward ... we will not tolerate praise or support for white nationalism and separatism."

Facebook said it would also start connecting people who search for terms associated with white supremacy to an organisation called Life After Hate, focused on helping people leave hate groups.